Guarding Your Health and Safety

Accidents happen—and can cause more lasting damage to your health than illness or disease. You can prevent most accidents. Take steps now to guard your health and safety at home, at work, and on the road.

Staying healthy

Here are suggestions to help you stay healthy:

Prevent the spread of disease. Wash your hands with soap before meals, after you use the toilet, after touching pets, and after being outdoors. Practice safe sex. Don’t share personal care items like razors.

When outside, protect skin by applying sunscreen.

Brush and floss your teeth every day. Have your teeth cleaned every 6 months or as recommended by your dentist.

Staying safe at home and work

Here are some tips to follow:

Store medicines, chemicals, and sharp items out of reach of children and pets.

Lock up unloaded firearms and ammunition. Keep the locked ammunition in a different location than the guns. Hide the keys or combinations. If someone close to you has the potential for violence or suffers from severe depression or another mental illness, do not keep firearms in your home.

Install smoke detectors outside the kitchen and the bedrooms. Place a smoke detector on every floor of the home including the basement. Test batteries twice a year. Test smoke alarms every month. Replace smoke alarms every 10 years.

Install carbon monoxide detectors in the hallway outside the bedrooms in each separate sleeping area of the home. Avoid areas concealed by furniture or drapes.

Use childproof fencing and gates around pools and spas. Never leave children by themselves.

Always follow workplace safety rules.

Decrease your risk of falling in your home by removing throw rugs and clutter. Wear strong shoes with low heels.

Staying safe on the road

Here are tips for staying safe on the road:

Always use your seat belt. Make sure all children 12 years old and younger are in proper car seats or safety restraints in the back seat.

Carry flares, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, a blanket, and other emergency items in your car.